Wool duster



April 6, 1937. w, w, WINDLE 2,076,420

WOOL DUSTER Filed March 30, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 6, 1937.

W. W. WINDLE WOOL DUSTER Filed March 30, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.lllllllllllll.

III II I l l hulnln ll I ||||l| I 1 T lni I| l l l l l 1 Patented Apr.6, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for removing dust and vegetableimpurities from wool or other fibres.

The principal objects of the invention are to 5 clean the dust andvegetable impurities effectively out of the wool after scouring; toprovide an opening effect on the wool but no rolling effect, and toprovide a machine which will not break the wool or other fibres and willdeliver the wool 1 clean and dust-free.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 isan end view of a wool duster constructed in accordance with thisinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a plan of a part of a drive, and

Fig. 4 is a side view of the beater showing it in modified form.

Many wool separating machines have been designed for use on wool beforescouring to separate burrs, manure, etc. from the wool. This machine isdesigned for use after scouring to eliminate dust and vegetable fibreand at the same time assist in the opening of the wool.

The machine is supported in a casing I ll which substantially surroundsit. This casing supports air chutes H, shown as two located on one side.

They are provided with dampers l2 to control the draft for the purposeof taking the air out of the machine and carrying with it the dust fromthe point of contact of the fibre from the beater against the screen. Onthe top of the casing I0 is a motor I 3 which, in the form shown, drivestwo fans M which create the draft to remove the air through the chutesII.

The machine is shown as being driven by a motor l5 which directly drivesa pulley I6 on a shaft [1 which, by means of a chain l8, drives acorresponding shaft l9. On these two shafts are a series of pairs ofrollers 20 arranged along the machine. These shafts can be adjusted byadjusting devices 2| so as to arrange the mechanism to a desiredinclination. The rollers 20 support and drive a corresponding number ofcircular tracks 24 supporting the sifting and separating part of theduster.

This mechanism comprises a cage 22 formed mainly of screen work 23 andconstituting a screen. The wool is introduced into the upper end of thisscreen through a chute 31. This cage is provided with the severalcircular tracks 26, each track running on two of the rollers 20 and 55being rotated thereby. These tracks constitute a part of a frame towhich are connected longitudinal members 25 and the rotating screen.These longitudinal members 25 are provided at intervals with pins 26projecting inwardly and forwardly with respect to the direction ofrotation. The 5 W001, being introduced into the chute 31 at one end ofthe cage, as shown in Fig. 2, will be circulated around the cage bybeing caught up by these pins and then, when the pins come to'verticalposition or nearly so, dropping the fibre off directly to the beaterhereinafter described. On account of the cage being inclined there is,of course, a progress of the wool from the upper to the lower end whereit is discharged into any desired receptacle or on the floor.

Also connected with the motor is a change speed device 30 which, througha belt 3|, drives a pulley 32 on a beater 33. This beater is in the formof a cylinder extending throughout the length of the cage inside it andhaving its bearings on members 34 carried by the frame l0. Thesebearings are adjustable by moving either or both ends of the member 34so that the axis of the beater can be located at different angles to thehorizontal and at different angles to the axis of the cage. The beateris provided with longitudinal bars 35, or with pins 36 as shown in Fig.4, for the purpose of receiving the wool and opening it as it drops fromthe pins. The beater is located in a position with respect to the axisof the cage so that it will receive the wool from the pins. The mainobject is to open up the wool and throw it against the screen at a pointin line with the chutes, thereby to allow the dust to separate from itat this point especially so that the dust can be drawn out into thehoppers II with the air currents.

In this way dust and vegetable impurities are cleaned from the wool andthe wool is opened. The wool fibres are not beaten, as in some classesof machines, enough to break the fibres. The speed of the heater and itsinclination can be varied to suit different classes of wool and toenablethe operator to obtain the different kinds of results desired. The dustthat is not drawn up the intakes H with the air currents is sifted outof the cage by its rotation and falls on the floor. This leaves the woolin a comparatively open and free condition with the dust and vegetablefibres removed. 50

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In a wool dusting machine, the combination of a rotatable screencage, a beater located inside said cage at a distance to one side of itsaxis, means for rotating the cage, means for rotating the beater, saidcage being provided with pins inclined to radial lines for taking up thewool and dropping it on the beater for the purpose of opening the wooland releasing dust.

2. In a wool dusting machine, the combination of a rotatable screencage, an eccentrically placed beater located in said cage at a point atone side of the axis thereof, means for rotating the cage, means forrotating the beater, said cage being provided with inwardly slantinglyprojecting pins for taking up the wool and dropping it on the beater.

3. In a wool dusting machine, the combination of a rotatable screencage, located on an inclined axis, provided with pins projectinginwardly tangent to a circle smaller than the diameter of the screen andprojecting forwardly in the direction of rotation of the cage, a heaterlocated within the cage at one side of the axis thereof and having aninclined axis, said beater being located in a position to throw stockagainst the side of the screen and means on the beater for loosening upthe wool, said pins being located at such an angle as to drop the woolon the beater as the pins come to substantially vertical position.

4. In a wool dusting machine, the combination of a rotatable screencage, located on an inclined axis, provided with pins projectinginwardly tangent to a circle smaller than the diameter of the screen andprojecting forwardly in the direction of rotation of the cage, a beaterlocated within the cage at one side of the axis thereof and having aninclined axis, means on the beater for loosening up the Wool, said pinsbeing located at such an angle as to drop the wool on the beater as thepins come to substantially vertical position, a chute having an openingat the side of the cage, and means for inducing currents of air from thecage outwardly through said chute to separate the dust and vegetablefibres.

5. In a wool dusting machine, the combination of a rotatable screencage, located on an adjustably inclined axis and provided with pinsprojecting inwardly and all tangent to a circle smaller than the screen,a wool inlet at the upper end of said screen, a beater located withinthe cage and having an adjustably inclined axis, the pins reachinginwardly to a point from which they can drop the wool on the beater,means for rotating the beater at adjustable speeds, a chute opening atthe side of the cage, and means for inducing currents of air from thecage outwardly through said chute.

WINFRED W.

